mediumfeature

Seven major taxi companies — including Calgary’s Associated Cab and Checker Yellow Cabs — have started a national advertising campaign that takes on their new competitor Uber and its plans to operate in Canadian cities. The campaign uses a website and newspaper ads to target the Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, and Vancouver markets. Each of those cities has been chosen for expansion by Uber, an American company that offers “ride-sharing” for a fee.

largefeature

Police are searching for a 31-year-old man wanted on numerous charges in Calgary and six surrounding communities for fraud and breaching court orders. Investigators allege that over the past year Bradly Barry Kowalczyk has been prolifically defrauding victims by posting online classified ads for high-value items, such as farm and industrial equipment, taking deposits for the sales and failing to hand over the products in return.

EDMONTON — The three-month campaign to choose a new Alberta premier ended with a bang Thursday with the release of a snarky attack ad, long-awaited lists of financial backers and more complaints about the level of political discourse. On top of it all, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi told a national television audience the three candidates offered voters “nothing” in terms of platforms and policies, and he felt bad for PC party members as they cast their ballots.

CALGARY - Googe Canada announced Wednesday that Banff has received a Google eTown Award for 2014, recognizing communities in the country whose businesses are embracing the power of the web to grow and fuel their local economies. “The web helps people everywhere discover the best of what’s around the world or around the corner,” said Sam Sebastian, managing director of Google Canada, in a statement. “As Canadians live more of their lives online, the small and medium businesses that boldly embrace digital are finding new customers, growing their businesses and succeeding in an increasingly connected world.”

For lovers of beer — Big Rock beer that is — and super cute amateur commercials and print ads, the Big Rock Eddies is the ticket. Over the past 21 years, this sudsy soiree has launched the acting, directing and graphic design careers of many. And the full-on party is not only a ton of fun but philanthropic as well, with funds raised supporting local organizations.

The president of Canada’s largest outdoor advertising firm is rejecting allegations of political bias days after Greenpeace accused the company of a “double standard” over a cancelled ad deal two years ago. “It was not a creative decision, it was not a point-of-view decision; it was a business decision relating to Greenpeace.” said Randy Otto, president of Pattison Outdoor Advertising.

More than 50 exotic animals were seized by Calgary Humane Society peace officers from a northwest Calgary home late Thursday. About 20 of the animals were already dead and most of the live ones were severely malnourished and dehydrated, said Brad Nichols, manager of animal cruelty investigations.

Condo Xtra is a directed editorial publication of the Calgary Herald Special Projects Department as a result of interest in condo ownership and the lifestyle associated with ownership. The Calgary Herald did not afford the advertisers creative control beyond approving the broad subject; advertisers were not given the opportunity to put restrictions on the content or review it prior to publication.

A community west of the city known for its large lots, cascading ponds and mountain views, is back on top. Watermark at Bearspaw is a back-to-back winner of the National SAM Award for Community Development.

With the Calgary and Alberta economies flying high these days, and forecast to continue on that path, companies can expect once again to pay top dollar to sponsor chuckwagons at this year’s Calgary Stampede. The annual chuckwagon canvas auction is taking place next Thursday.

When Sarah Yu decided she was done with her white 2006 Volkswagen Jetta with heated leather seats, sunroof and 150,000 kilometres on the odometer, she sized it up and figured it was still worth about 10.Bitcoins, that is.

Advertising foods and beverages is a big business. Advertisers spend more than $2.5 billion per year to promote restaurants and another $2 billion to promote food products. Using athletes to market products comes at a price some food companies are happy to pay.

As though Calgarians don’t spend enough time waiting for CTrains with their eyes glued to their smartphones ... early next year, they’ll be able to do it on Wi-Fi. On a sunny day — though probably not one in December — workers could noodle around on their laptops on a downtown park bench. Or view that hilarious viral video of a snoring chinchilla in a rec centre lobby without paying a fortune in data plan.

An atheist organization says billboards it planned to run in downtown Vancouver have been rejected by advertising agency Pattison Outdoor. The Centre for Inquiry Canada ad plays with a biblical reference by featuring the image of a woman with the words: “Jenn 13:1 Praying won’t help. Doing will.” It goes on to say: “Without God. We’re all good.”

City police are warning Calgarians of a telephone scam in which a caller claiming to be a representative of a fake police magazine is asking victims to place ads. In the past week, police have received four complaints about a man who says he’s with Calgary Police News Magazine — a publication that does not exist — aggressively asking victims to place ads in the magazine.